Spokane Wine

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Wine lists at restaurants are important to me, almost as important as the food menu. Often times I find myself either frustrated at the lack of creativity, the lack of knowledge or the absurd pricing that makes beer or cocktails seem so much more appealing. I’ve heard rumors of a restaurant with stellar service, phenomenal food and a spectacular wine list. Recently, after a long wait and many friend suggestions, I finally got the opportunity to try Masselow’s Restaurant in the Northern Quest Resort & Casino. See the full review of Northern Quest Resort & Casino As greater Spokane’s only […]

It’s the time of year when almost every wine blog and major newspaper posts their Thanksgiving wine pairing suggestions. They range from the crazy 1WineDude pairing to the regional suggestions of New York Cork Report or Washington Wine Report or the predictable newspaper offerings. Why? Well, people must want to know. I look at how people arrive to my site almost daily and Google analytics tells me people are searching for Thanksgiving wine pairings. Since I live in Spokane and I love Spokane wine, here is what will be on my table if I can make it to the store […]

Chardonnay is one of the world’s most planted wine grapes (second to Spanish grape Airen). A major component in Champagne (and other sparkling wine), Chardonnay is known as a winemakers grape because of the ability for the winemaker to impart their stamp on the overall outcome. Chardonnay is crisp and clean in Chablis and has a reputation for being thick and buttery in California, although many wineries are moving away from this trend. In Washington, Chardonnay is still king with nearly 6,000 planted acres (Cabernet Sauvignon is a very close second). While producing predominately red wine, a handful of Spokane […]

November 23 and 24 were the punctuation mark on a long cool growing season for Washington grape growers. With temperatures plunging from 30 degrees to -4 degrees and lower in a matter of a few days, vineyard managers were scrambling. As wineries wrapped up the 2010 harvest, doubts about the 2011 harvest lay heavy on many people’s hearts. Much of the damage will be uncertain until Spring but many areas had a lot to be thankful for over the holiday. Washington grape growers understand hard freeze. With one coming every 5-8 years, this part of the business is nearly unavoidable. […]

I am not a huge fan of turkey. For Christmas I’d rather have ham, for Easter, I’d rather have prime rib. For Thanksgiving, we’ve established a tradition of lasagna and cheesecake. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate turkey. If you’re going to invite me over for Thanksgiving dinner, don’t think you have to serve something different. Just don’t serve me mushrooms, brussel sprouts or liver and onions. Every other year my wife and I end up alone for Thanksgiving. With family in Portland, some in Phoenix, and shared custody of the boy, we stay by ourselves in Spokane on […]